I've got a few questions about being a teacher and teaching in the theravada tradition. My questions come up in connection with the posture of other traditions toward this matter but I would like to know how this is seen here without comparing.

when is a bhikkhu called ajahn? when does she/he begin to teach? does the bhikkhu/bhikkhuni decide when to do it or is there any other one who decides for him/herself?

What is the role of the teacher anyway in the Theravada tradition?

Is there anything like a lineage? (my first impression is no, but I've noticed how certain groups present themselves as "practicing in the line of Ajahn Chah or Ajahn Bram or Ajahn Sumedho...)

Ajahn Brahm and Ajahn Sumedho are students of the late Ajahn Chah. All are members of the Thai Forest Tradition. I believe that "ajahn" means "teacher" and is a title given to a monk or nun after nine or ten years of study and practice in a monastery or nunnery. To me, they and others like them are lovely people who have the most peaceful hearts and minds on earth. Even more wonderful, they are willing to teach others how to be like them!

Ajahn, Acharn, Ajaan, Ajarn, Achaan... it is just a convention really and the Thais have several other terms for more senior (teaching) monks. But in the Western Ajahn Chah community, this term is used for monks and nuns who have 10+ Rains (vassa) or years behind them.

gavesako wrote:Ajahn, Acharn, Ajaan, Ajarn, Achaan... it is just a convention really and the Thais have several other terms for more senior (teaching) monks. But in the Western Ajahn Chah community, this term is used for monks and nuns who have 10+ Rains (vassa) or years behind them.

I've heard a similar explanation for the use of the title "Thera". What is correct? How is the correct usage of these titles, Ajahn and Thera?

Last edited by cooran on Sat Mar 07, 2009 9:07 am, edited 1 time in total.

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gavesako wrote:Ajahn, Acharn, Ajaan, Ajarn, Achaan... it is just a convention really and the Thais have several other terms for more senior (teaching) monks. But in the Western Ajahn Chah community, this term is used for monks and nuns who have 10+ Rains (vassa) or years behind them.

I've heard a similar explanation for the use of the title "Thera". What is correct? How is the correct usage of these titles, Ajahn and Thera?

Well, in Sri Lanka (as far as I know) pretty much every monk and novice is automatically called "Thero". In Thailand this word is reserved for really senior monks, but is rarely used in connection with their Pali name as such. According to Vinaya, a Thera is one with more than 10 vassas.

gavesako wrote:Ajahn, Acharn, Ajaan, Ajarn, Achaan... it is just a convention really and the Thais have several other terms for more senior (teaching) monks. But in the Western Ajahn Chah community, this term is used for monks and nuns who have 10+ Rains (vassa) or years behind them.

Thank you for the replay. I actually know the meaning of Ajahn. I'm more satisfied with Ven. (Ajahn? Gavesako's answer; I know from other sources that the title is given after five years or after no fixed time ???

Hi dojhanaI think it was Sumedho who was trusted to teach after 5years of being a monk but no mention of how many rains he had done.there is another thread with a similar discussion on which may shed some light for you.I know there is an ordination ceremony to become a Dhammachariya but that may just be within one monestery or sect, but I would imagine that a monk would be "given the title" when they were trusted enough to teach or started to teach as far as I can tell their is no actual formula in which the title is used.

With MEttaManapa

This offering maybe right, or wrong, but it is one, the other, both, or neither!Blog,-Some Suttas Translated,Ajahn Chah."Others will misconstrue reality due to their personal perspectives, doggedly holding onto and not easily discarding them; We shall not misconstrue reality due to our own personal perspectives, nor doggedly holding onto them, but will discard them easily. This effacement shall be done."